Hey, I coach a football team.

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My favorite word is growth.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Where do you see the growth in OSU?

I don't see the growth.  Help me out here.  Vote and educate me.

As always I encourage you to email me.

firemikeriley@gmail.com

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Beavers Hit Rock Bottom

*This was an email from a devoted Beaver fan voicing their opinion*  Again, I encourage anyone from Beaver Nation to email me @ firemikeriley@gmail.com  I will post your email for discussion via twitter or this blog.

               As I sit here tonight and reflect on the dismal Beaver start to the 2011 season, I am in awe over the support that some Beaver fans still have for Mike Riley.  His mediocrity knows no bounds.  In 10 short years we have gone from contenders for the national title, ranked in the top 5 in the nation in every pre-season poll, to quite possible the worst team in the PAC12.  The entire responsibility rests on the shoulders of Mike Riley and Bob DeCarlis.   Mike Riley is not a Division I coach, never was and never will be.

At this point we are 1-5 and with the record of the continual deterioration of the program that started with the loss to the Oregon Ducks in the civil war of 2009.  Well actually, I believe the beginning of the end was when Mike Riley was rehired.  I was a 14 year season ticket holder to Oregon State
Football the last season that Dennis Erickson coached and donated thousands of dollars a year to the school, just to get my parking pass behind the scoreboard, then I bought tickets, food, drinks, tee shirts, hats and many beaver logo paraphernalia for tailgating.  I loved OSU Beaver football, and I still do.   When Mike Riley was rehired as head coach, I quit it all.  I got a call that spring from the Beaver ticket office asking why I didn't renew my season tickets, my response "when you get rid of Mike Riley, I will be back as a Beaver season ticket holder".  I still hold to my word today.  Today, I didn't even spend the few dollars it would have taken to get FCS channel on the dish network to watch the game, I listened to it on the radio, the way my father used to during the dismal days of the 70's and 80's.  The days of the "Giant Killers".  When, by some miraculous alignment of the stars, the only game we would win all season was to someone ranked in the top 10 in the nation, and Beaver fans would celebrate like it was their last day on earth.

In 2009, I attended the MAACO Bowl in Las Vegas and showed my support for my Beavers team that had just barely missed their first shot at the Rose Bowl in 42 years.  I bravely walked into the stadium, bundled up in all my beaver gear, in 30 degree weather with a 50 mph wind blowing, just to sit there and freeze while the Beavers were dismantled by a mediocre BYU team from the opening kickoff.  It was disgraceful. When I arrived back at my hotel room, there were video's on the news of the Beavers whooping it up and partying in Las Vegas like they were on vacation, apparently unaware that thousands of Beaver hopefuls had come to support them in their disappointing bid in the MAACO bowl.  Disappointing that we were there and not the Rose Bowl?  Yes.  But thousands of fans made the trip on their own dime, the Beaver team didn't show.  Complete and utter disgrace and embarrassment in the total lack of coaching.

Back to the point at hand.  Let’s look at the track record of Mike Riley and the list of excuses he and the OSU fans of old use to protect the man. Let’s face it Riley on the verge of taking OSU to a Rose Bowl is gone, in its place is one of the worst teams in the nation. This is one fan that is tired of the excuses.
Excuse #1: We are young - So is Auburn, so were the Ducks last year, their coaching staff figured out how to deal with it successfully, any team with success deals with this.  
Excuse #2: We can't recruit to Corvallis - how is Boise, Stillwater or East Lansing any better?
Excuse #3: We don't have huge donors, Dennis Erickson didn't need them either, Dennis went from $13 million per year in donations to $51 million in just 2 short years, you have to be building a winning football program to get donations.  
Excuse #4: Could OSU really get a good coach? 5 years ago nobody had ever heard of Chip Kelly, Brian Kelly, Gene Chizik or Chris Peterson. You see, great programs start with great leaders that have a grand, winning vision and lead the program to success.  No one at OSU from Mike Riley on up have either great leadership or even a sniff of a vision at creating a winning tradition.

The worst thing EVER done for OSU Beaver football was giving coach Mike Riley the contract that he now has, which now runs until the 2019 season with a large contract buyout clause.   I want to reiterate that I am an avid Beaver fan, always have been and always will be.  But like any drug addict or alcoholic, a person or organization with an addiction has to hit rock bottom before they admit they have a problem and seek help to change their ways.  Bob DeCarlos is an addict, he is addicted to Mike Riley, as long as Riley keeps going to a bowl game every few years, the old guard at OSU is happy and makes his job easy.  Well Bob, your addiction is now catching up to you.  Mike Riley can only make you look and feel good for so long, he is your addiction and you’re heading toward rock bottom.  If it takes a 1-11 season to make the beaver faithful see the error in your ways, then this is one Beaver fan that is rooting for losses, because I don't want to go through another 28 losing seasons.  OSU fans and Bob D, please wake up, learn from history and hire a real coach, before we become the Beavers of yesteryear.

Friday, October 14, 2011

A voice from a Riley Supporter

If you email me and your point is valid I will post it even if I don't agree with it.

Your passion for the Beavers is what clouds your judgment.  I am somewhat removed from all the emotion (living outside the state of Oregon for 15 years) so I can truly bring an objective opinion.  Everyone in Seattle knows that we (OSU) are in a small  market and Riley is a good coach.  The fact that The Ducks have done it also clouds your judgment.  Because The Ducks have transformed you somehow think we can/should do the same.  It's not in the cards my man, it just isn't in the cards.  Sure, you can rant and rave about it all you want but you'll die a bitter old man if you don't come to the realization that we will never truly run with the big boys.  Occasionally we will get lucky and have a Fiesta Bowl run like we did a decade ago but it's not going to happen on a regular basis.  Not enough money in Corvallis or the OSU alumni to support a major program.  Get drunk, enjoy the wins, and try not to get yourself hurt. 

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Know your audience

Inviting Jerry Pettibone to present the game ball at the Oregon State game shows how far Beaver Nation has come.  The gesture is pleasing to maybe 10% of the crowd at Reser stadium.  This is the same 10% that the OSU administration caters too.  This audience is the older Corvallis community.  This is the same audience that continues to reminisce about the 28 year losing streak, Dee Andros, Craig Fertig and still tells stories about bouncing little Mike Riley on their knees when he was a wee kiddo. They live in the past and are not in touch with today.  They don’t tweet, blog, or even facebook.  They sit around Corvallis Country Club at 4pm eating dinner sipping chardonnay.

The remaining 90% of Reser either doesn’t want to see Jerry Pettibone step foot in Reser, or has no idea who he is or how he is related to OSU.  This is the problem.  OSU is catering to the wrong audience and has been for some time.  OSU needs to understand who their audience is and speak to them by rewarding their passion and faith with alumni, proper highlights, and the present.

Last week James Dockery was invited to be a part of the OSU game during a television timeout.  I applaud whoever invited him but, where was the highlight video?  He is a NFL player and used his bye week to fly back to Corvallis and all they did was say thanks for coming.  Where was the fire, the hype, the bling?  Dockery is NOW, He is a winner.  Fans can relate to him.  He is a product of OSU, a winning product and OSU rewarded him with a 3 minute “Thanks.”  That was embarrassing and OSU owes him an apology. 

If OSU wants to grow they need to catch up with the rest of the Pac12.  They cannot continue catering to the community that doesn’t want to evolve.  OSU needs to market outside of Benton County.  They are missing a great opportunity to grow their brand and market a strong product.  OSU doesn’t need Uncle Phil to bank roll the marketing of a great brand.  They need an administration that realizes it is ok to move forward and focus on the now, the recent, and what is in the best interest of OSU and its fan base. 

OSU has many opportunities to reach out to former players and invite them to return to OSU to present game balls.  Players that made an impact while at OSU and their highlight videos that would fire up the crowd.  Recent products of OSU that fans know and love make more sense than an old coach that didn’t win at OSU and was fired.  I pray OSU doesn’t dig up highlights to share with an already surly crowd.

Bowl Bound?

After 5 games and 1 victory, Mike Riley thinks OSU is bowl bound. 

"We're a long way from saying we're a conference contender, but we are a contender if we get a string together for a bowl game.' – pulled from the Oregonian

Is Mike Riley deranged?  He has 1 win against a team that is 1-5 and 4 losses against teams that are Sac St 3-3, Wisconsin 5-0, ASU 5-1 and UCLA 3-3.

BYU comes to town at 4-2, then at WSU 3-2, at Utah 2-3, home Stanford 5-0, at Cal 3-2, home Washington 4-1, and finally at UO 4-1.

Where does he see 5 wins?  One team has a losing record on the schedule.  The man is insane.  I feel badly for the players having to listen to him give false expectations.  

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Lessons at Reser

7 things I learned yesterday at Reser.
7.  Hekker must be so tired after games.  He spends the entire game practicing.  1st down and he is warming up. 
6.  Beaver Nation is so forgiving.  One win and the loss to Sac State is a distant memory.  Pathetic.
5.  Sean Mannion locks onto his receiver and will not look away.  I am pretty sure I saw Mannion receive a text message from James Rodgers saying, “Hey sport, I am open in the endzone.”
4.  Jordan Poyer was picked on.  Foles must hate the city of Astoria.
3.  Corvallis has too many Zones and leaving Corvallis is not that confusing.  OSU needs to replace the “Leaving Corvallis” video with OSU football highlights and loud music keeping fans in their seats yelling and screaming.
2.  The Orange jerseys work.  Keep em for BYU
1.  Mike Riley and his staff did their job.  Why they chose October 8th to finally show up and coach, I do not understand. , but they did their job.  Where was this in September? 

If this team rattles off wins against BYU, WSU, Utah, Cal, and UW then Riley truly deserves to be fired.  There is absolutely zero reason for the slow start and losing to Sac State, UCLA, and ASU are reasons to let him go.  You were hired to win games ALL SEASON, not from October through December.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Who did you choose and Why?


Mark Mangino – FIRED

Total Record 50-48

Bowl Record 3-1

Conference Record 23-41

Best season 12-1











Ralph Friedgen - FIRED

Total Record 75-50

Bowl Record 5-2

Conference Record 43-37

Best Season 11-3










Mike Riley - PASS

Total Record 69-58

Bowl Record 5-1

Conference Record 43-43

Best Season 10-4



Wednesday, October 5, 2011

 If you were the AD, what coach would you keep?

Coach A

Total Record 50-48

Bowl Record 3-1

Conference Record 23-41

Best season 12-1


Coach B

Total Record 75-50

Bowl Record 5-2

Conference Record 43-37

Best Season 11-3

Coach C

Total Record 69-58

Bowl Record 5-1

Conference Record 43-43

Best Season 10-4

Coach's names to be revealed later.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

It must be Happy Hour somewhere

How many of you look forward to a Friday Happy hour?  There is nothing better than after a tough week grinding it out in the cubical then getting out of work, and heading to your favorite tavern, bellying up to the bar in your favorite bar stool, and having that iced cold beer; poured with such care that you salivate just staring at it and you recall how the last time you were here it happened the same way.  Then your crew rolls in, because you always have a crew together at HH and you enjoy happy hour with more iced cold beer, tunes from the juke box, and maybe a game of snooker or arrow toss.  Happy hour is a great way to spend time with friends, family, and strangers that also enjoy a good happy hour. 
                Well, just think if that was ripped away from you without warning.  Your expectations of enjoying happy hour dashed without a letter, fax, page, or signal.   You get out of work and head to your favorite tavern, like it always is and has been – it’s open, the same bartender is working, your chair is open at the bar, but when you sit down, there is no iced cold beer.  You can see the tap handles right there in front of you and the tall boys chilling nicely in the ice box.  What is going on?  You franticly wave the barkeep down and ask, “What gives? Why won’t you serve me my favorite frosty beverage?”  His reply, “Sorry, we don’t serve beer anymore.”  What, huh….why?  The barkeep then proceeds to tell you that the owner, despite being the nicest owner, feels it isn’t necessary to serve beer at this time.  He isn’t comfortable serving beer, instead he says, “We have one brand of local chardonnay that you can drink, it’s a young vintage, but it is lovely.” He then promises to start serving beer again, but not until 2012.

Some customers do like chardonnay and have been drinking it for a long time and you can’t change their minds, but I and many other patrons who love this bar don’t like chardonnay.  We like our beer at happy hour. 

Mike Riley has stolen our Happy hour.  He is forcing us to drink chardonnay. 

I don’t want to wait to 2012 when he decides to go to work.  Let's fire Riley now.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

What is your prediction for OSU vs. ASU?

Beaver Nation.  What is your prediction today?

You have a voice, Let's hear it.  Predictions, comments, rants, etc.  Step up.

52-3 ASU